Although his poll numbers have taken a drubbing, Hong Kong chief executive hopeful Henry Tang still argues he’s the best-equipped candidate to help the city realize its democratic potential.

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At the moment, the city’s chief executive is chosen not by popular vote, but by a 1,200-member election committee composed largely of political and business elites. That’s good for Mr. Tang. With the election just two weeks away, he trails his opponent Chun-Ying Leung by a margin of 26 points, thanks to a scandals that have dogged his candidacy, including an extramarital affair and an illegal basement addition to his luxury home.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Mr. Tang said he endorsed the idea of lowering barriers to entry for future chief executive candidates by 2017, the year Beijing has promised universal suffrage will be realized in Hong Kong. Currently, to run for chief executive prospective candidates must receive nominations from one-eighth of the committee. Mr. Tang said he would endorse the idea of reducing that threshold to one-tenth, or even one-twelfth.

“Hong Kong people want democratic development, [they] want to be able to choose their chief executive,” he said.

Sporting a colorful aqua tie with a fish theme, Mr. Tang, who previously served as Hong Kong’s financial secretary, mused on his admiration for famous Asian political giants, including Deng Xiaoping and Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew.

He also lashed out against his opponent, Mr. Leung, calling him a “risky” choice. Specifically, Mr. Tang attacked his opponent’s lack of government experience, arguing that he wouldn’t be able to tackle Hong Kong’s most substantive issues, including how to better capitalize on its role as an offshore yuan trading hub. He said he doubts that Mr. Leung would “be able to articulate” the city’s needs to mainland regulators, “because he’s never done it, and it’s not something you can learn just by reading books.”

“I’m not claiming to be an expert,” he said, “but I know many – many of them advise me.” He argued enjoys a far greater level of rapport with mainland financial authorities, thanks to his past work as Hong Kong’s financial secretary. “They trust me to run [Hong Kong’s economy] on a steady keel,” he said.

On the question of recent cross-border friction between Hong Kongers and mainland Chinese, Mr. Tang struck a cautionary tone. Hong Kongers need to be respectful and “inclusive” of mainlanders, he said, and to remember that Hong Kong has always been an open, cosmopolitan city.

As for the scandals that have plagued his campaign, Mr. Tang said he was surprised at the extent of public backlash against his basement, which local media likened to an “underground palace.” “In retrospect,” he said, “I could have handled it better by coming clean on it earlier.”

More recently, reports have surfaced that Mr. Tang has fathered a child out of wedlock, allegations which Mr. Tang has not denied.

Will those scandals sink his candidacy? If so, Mr. Tang isn’t revealing what his next move might be.

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